Lyme disease (Borrelia) in dogs – signs and spread

Updated 2026-09-30 · 2 sources

Based on: ESCCAP, SVA

Book a vet visit

Book a vet appointment if you think your dog has this – a vet needs to confirm it and plan the treatment. It is a Borrelia infection that dogs get through bites from Ixodes ticks.

What to do now

What you can do now

  1. Contact your vet.
  2. Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
  3. Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
  4. Keep fresh water available.
  5. Let your dog rest somewhere calm.

Don't

  • Do not give any human medicine.
  • Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is and how it spreads

Lyme borreliosis is an infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and is spread by Ixodes ticks. It occurs throughout Europe, except extremely hot southern or cold northern areas.[1] Most infected dogs show no signs; possible signs include fever, lameness and lethargy.[1] Lyme borreliosis is zoonotic, which means people can be infected too.

Signs

  • Fever
  • Lameness in one or more joints
  • Lethargy
  • Rare protein-losing kidney disease

How pets pick it up

  • Ixodes ricinus ticks
  • Other Ixodes species

Where in Europe it occurs

CountryOccurrence
AustriaPresent
BelgiumPresent
CzechiaPresent
DenmarkPresent
FinlandPresent
FrancePresent
GermanyPresent
IrelandPresent
ItalyPresent
NetherlandsPresent
NorwayPresent
PolandPresent
PortugalPresent
RomaniaPresent
SpainPresent
SwedenPresent
SwitzerlandPresent
United KingdomPresent

What the experts say

“Most infected dogs have subclinical status and it is difficult to correlate naturally acquired B. burgdorferi infection with clinical signs in dogs such as fever, lameness, myalgia and lethargy.”

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

Get it on Google Play

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

Do infected dogs always show signs?

No. Most infected dogs have no signs.[1]

Where in Europe does Lyme borreliosis occur?

It occurs throughout Europe, except extremely hot southern or cold northern areas.[1]

What signs can it cause in dogs?

Possible signs include fever, lameness and lethargy.[1]

Sources

  1. ESCCAP
  2. SVA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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